CAVERNS CITY
        A 'Battune' text adventure by Merle Goodman
                    Hints by Bev Truter

General Tips:
1) Read the README file!

2) Put CAPS LOCK on before starting game.

3) Play this game in DOS from a floppy in Drive A:, and nominate
"A" as the drive to save to when asked. Each time you SAVE, your
previous saved position is overwritten, but you can create more
saves by using a separate floppy disk for each save - just
remember that each floppy will need the CITY.EXE file to be on it
for the SAVE command to work.

4) Each time you restart the game or continue on to a new section
(there are 4 sections), the locations will be randomly arranged in
different patterns. So unless you're really keen to redraw maps
afresh with each new start or new section try to stick with the
same game throughout by saving judiciously.

5) Caverns City covers 4 areas, and is really 4 separate games, as
once you have completed an area you automatically proceed to the
next area, with no possibility of returning to the preceding set
of locations. You don't need to take any items from one area to
the next, as all items in your inventory disappear after
completing each section.

6) It is vital to SAVE immediately AFTER disposing of the werewolf
and proceeding through the iron gate to the third section (ie, the
Caverns Maze). If you get killed in this third section, all your
belongings disappear, and you'll have to trudge about the entire
maze trying to find them again. Also, if you restore a game saved
at the end of section 2 while in section 3, all your section 3
maps will be useless, as when you re-enter section 3 through the
iron gate all the locations (and objects in them) will be arranged
differently.

Specific Hints:
1st section - City: Make a map of this section, and wander about
picking up the various objects. All you need to do is find a
person holding a white card (a fresh clue) and GIVE him/her the
obvious item required. If it's the correct item, the person will
disappear and leave you with the white card. READ CARD, then amble
around to match the next person up with one of the items. When you
receive a card that reads 'hotel registration', approach the
person in the Lobby and you'll get the keys, so you can then
proceed into the hotel (section 2).

2nd section - Hotel: Here you need to find keys to unlock 6
bedrooms.  Each bedroom contains a person or creature who you
either have to help in some way, or chase off, so you can then
search the room for another key. First roam around (the directions
UP and DOWN don't apply in this section) and collect all the
objects you find in the various rooms. For example, if you see a
table, shelf, or anything else in a room, try LOOK TABLE to find a
hidden item.

Room 101. The Masked Man's Room. (Key for 101 found in desk in
office).  Look at the chair, then LOOK LONE (neither MAN nor
RANGER will work) to discover ropes. You'll need the knife to cut
ropes, then find key for room 103. NB - can't CUT ROPES until you
can see them, ie, after LOOK LONE.

Room 103. Frankenstein's Monster. You'll need the generator (yes!
Apparently it's portable!) and the can full of gasoline. Look at
Monster to find the wires, then drop generator, put wires (wires
become attached to generator), put gas (in generator), start
generator. Find key for 107.

Room 107. Count Dracula's Room. You'll need the garlic (get garlic
while holding shovel), stake and hammer. Look coffin. look
vampire, kill vampire. Voila. Find key for room 105.

Room 105. Tonto is asleep here. Don't wake him. Find tobacco (from
the Smoke Shop), put it in the peace pipe, then 'smoke pipe'
(you'll need the matches) while in the room. Find key for 104.

Room 104. Pharaoh's Room. You'll need the bowl from the kitchen to
carry the tanya leaves (found in the Pool, need water wings from
Swimwear Shop to get the leaves). Burn leaves (while holding bowl,
leaves and matches), then find key for 106.

Room 106. Find the silver bullets to LOAD GUN. Gun is in the glass
case in the Pawn Shop, but you'll need to wear the leather glove
before breaking the case to get the gun.

There doesn't seem to be a room 102, so proceed to the Basement
and kill werewolf, then open gate and you're swooshed through
to....

3rd section - The Caverns: This is mainly a case of just wandering
around the caverns and picking up objects, transforming objects
into other items, and figuring out where to use each item. When
you create an object, eg a torch, from several items it is not
referred to by its new name (torch), but by its main component
('long', in this instance).  There are five obstructions or
hindrances to overcome before you can proceed to further
locations, and these 5 puzzles must be tackled in a very linear
order. It's a good idea to keep at least one SAVE from early in
this caverns maze section on a separate disk, so that if something
really dire happens and you find the game in an unwinnable state
you can return to this saved game with all the locations, objects
and exits still matching your painstakingly-drawn map of the
caverns maze. If you restore a game from the end of section 2,
where you killed the werewolf, everything will be different in
section 3, which means a frustrating redrawing of a completely new
map for this section. See 'Collecting Stones' for an explanation
of "dire".

Collecting Stones: There are 5 stones which have to be put in the
spelunkers' bag, and you can simply GET STONE if you're carrying
the pickaxe. (The gold stone is a red herring). Put only these 5
stones in the bag, and nothing else, as once put into the bag
other objects become invisible and irretrievable. As soon as the
5th stone is put in the bag the bag disappears and you hear a
magic word, which is used to open the sealed door. But the magic
word only works a few times (twice, I think it was) on the door,
and you need to complete all other puzzles before you can
manipulate the object found beyond the door. If like me you
happily amble back and forth through the door when you first
discover how to open it, when you finally DO need to open the door
again THE MAGIC WORD YOU WERE GIVEN DOESN'T WORK!! So if you want
to have a peek behind the sealed door by opening it with the magic
word, do so only ONCE before solving all the puzzles/obstacles in
this section.

Each object has only one use, so once you've used anything there's
no need to lug it around further. Handy places to drop items
temporarily are at the pool of oil, pool of lava or caverns
entrance.

The Monster: Find the long stick, rags, matches and pool of oil.
Put (or tie?) rags to make a torch, dip long in oil, burn rags,
then wave long in monster location to get rid of him/it.

The Lava Pool: Find the knife (need knife to get wires). With
wires, hook and wooden pole tie hook (you wire it to the pole),
and you can now get vines (they form a bridge across the lava).
Use the hammer to break (or open?) the rusty lock on the crate.
Open crate to find dynamite.

Dragon: Find the cabbage, and put dynamite (you insert it into the
cabbage). Throw cabbage, and dragon swallows it and is blown to
bits - (Hiss! Boo!)

The Spider: When you find the sticky pool it's time to construct
an archery kit. Get the short stick, string, curved stick and
eagle feathers. Tie string (to the curved stick, which presumably
makes a bow). Dip short in pool (end of short stick now all
sticky). Dip short in feathers (feathers now stuck to end of it,
resulting in an arrow, one assumes). While holding the 'curved'
and the 'short' (ie, after you've made the bow and arrow), shoot
spider to kill it.

The Rats: Get ladder and get box (at ledge location) while holding
ladder. Look box (there are traps in it) and put cheese (in
traps). Take box to location with rats and put traps (to catch the
rats).  Entering the location containing the explorers' bones
triggers the object beyond the sealed door to become 'real'
instead of ghost-like. You can't manipulate the bones in any way,
just 'look bones'.

Sealed Door: Use the magic word that appears after you place the
5th stone in the bag, just XYZZ (or whatever the word is) to open
the door.  Beyond the door the ghostly rope is now real, so get
rope and go to the top of the cliff (near the Caverns Entrance).
Tie rope to the brass ring and climb rope to.....

4th section - Golden City:

... Back to you! ... Sue






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